The World Assembly Strangers' Bar

[Living Corporations]

"Hmmm. Signing something in Comic Sans *is* a nigh criminal offense. Still, my statement stands. Would you like a drink? I have plenty bitcoin to spare."

(OOC: just realized everything that happened with bitcoin makes the currency look like a joke now, I founded back in 2016 )

LaPointe shook her head. “I can’t drink. Well, I can go through the motions, but I can’t actually digest anything. It’s a corporation thing. I did order an unprofessional and typo-ridden legal document earlier, but since it hasn’t arrived after all this time I assume it was dismissed as a joke order.”

[Glaeschland]

"Ah. A shame." Jonathan sips his stout whiskey and returns to his booth, his ARP plodding close behind.

He opens his laptop once there and decides to browse his government's budget expenditure. "Yeah, that's the stuff," he says with a smile; a pie chart is shown on his screen, showing Glaeschland's expenditure as a pie chart, Defense taking up nearly forty percent of it.

[Living Corporations]

"Ah. A shame." Jonathan sips his stout whiskey and returns to his booth, his ARP plodding close behind.

He opens his laptop once there and decides to browse his government's budget expenditure. "Yeah, that's the stuff," he says with a smile; a pie chart is shown on his screen, showing Glaeschland's expenditure as a pie chart, Defense taking up nearly forty percent of it.

LaPointe unabashedly follows Jonathan and peers over his shoulder at the laptop. “Is your nation in need of a budget analyst?” she asks. “Because I’m willing to offer my services to resolve your military’s bloating problem.”

“You’re not even trained as a budget analyst!” calls CyberVid.

“I’d be better at it than any human, that’s certain enough.”

[Glaeschland]

"Ah. A shame." Jonathan sips his stout whiskey and returns to his booth, his ARP plodding close behind.

He opens his laptop once there and decides to browse his government's budget expenditure. "Yeah, that's the stuff," he says with a smile; a pie chart is shown on his screen, showing Glaeschland's expenditure as a pie chart, Defense taking up nearly forty percent of it.

LaPointe unabashedly follows Jonathan and peers over his shoulder at the laptop. “Is your nation in need of a budget analyst?” she asks. “Because I’m willing to offer my services to resolve your military’s bloating problem.”

“You’re not even trained as a budget analyst!” calls CyberVid.

“I’d be better at it than any human, that’s certain enough.”

"Bloating??? Heavens, no! We intentionally spend this much on military. Can't keep our people happy and free if they're dead, captured, or sieged!" With another grin, Jonathan unholsters his Gauss-plasma hybrid pistol and gives it a masterful twirl before reholstering it. The slight bulge of a bulletproof vest under Jonathan's shirt is suddenly a bit more evident.

[Elke and Elba]

It's been a long time since Ambassador Norrland walked into the Strangers' Bar.

Same old, same old.

Alethea then gets herself a seat at the bar, and orders a glass of milk to be placed next to her. She missed her ferret friend, and hoped to see him again.

[Living Corporations]

"Bloating??? Heavens, no! We intentionally spend this much on military. Can't keep our people happy and free if they're dead, captured, or sieged!" With another grin, Jonathan unholsters his Gauss-plasma hybrid pistol and gives it a masterful twirl before reholstering it. The slight bulge of a bulletproof vest under Jonathan's shirt is suddenly a bit more evident.

LaPointe looks distinctly unimpressed, perhaps because her choice of weapon is lawsuits instead of anything so crude as an instrument of physical destruction. “If your nation is invaded so frequently as to require a budget so high as that just to avoid destruction, then it follows that you should invest a little more into diplomacy and arranging alliances so that you’re not in that situation in the first place.”

[Ferret Civilization]

Alethea then gets herself a seat at the bar, and orders a glass of milk to be placed next to her. She missed her ferret friend, and hoped to see him again.

After the shock from having Herby have to leave the bar and WA for what would be forever and Furettium would end up getting another strong emotional swing coming through the door. Sitting down not far from the bar where he was he almost quickly had to excuse himself from his Whovian Tardisia company. As this was a rather special occasion, "Alethea!?"

[Glaeschland]

"Bloating??? Heavens, no! We intentionally spend this much on military. Can't keep our people happy and free if they're dead, captured, or sieged!" With another grin, Jonathan unholsters his Gauss-plasma hybrid pistol and gives it a masterful twirl before reholstering it. The slight bulge of a bulletproof vest under Jonathan's shirt is suddenly a bit more evident.

LaPointe looks distinctly unimpressed, perhaps because her choice of weapon is lawsuits instead of anything so crude as an instrument of physical destruction. “If your nation is invaded so frequently as to require a budget so high as that just to avoid destruction, then it follows that you should invest a little more into diplomacy and arranging alliances so that you’re not in that situation in the first place.”

"It's not really a matter of repeat invasions nor unfriendliness--we'll make powerful allies without much prodding. It's more that our leader is rather....cynical, and with good reason, seeing all the tyrannical and power-hungry nations these days. We spent lots on defense not from lessons learned, but to save ourselves from having to learn them in the first place. Prevention is the best medicine."
"Your people may fancy lawsuits and the like, but the pen is oft weaker than the sword when the sword is a battery of nuclear weapons aimed at your own capital."

[Living Corporations]

"It's not really a matter of repeat invasions nor unfriendliness--we'll make powerful allies without much prodding. It's more that our leader is rather....cynical, and with good reason, seeing all the tyrannical and power-hungry nations these days. We spent lots on defense not from lessons learned, but to save ourselves from having to learn them in the first place. Prevention is the best medicine."
"Your people may fancy lawsuits and the like, but the pen is oft weaker than the sword when the sword is a battery of nuclear weapons aimed at your own capital."

“Perhaps for you it is, but I’m literally a corporation,” says LaPointe. “A battery of nuclear weapons can’t hurt me directly, though I admit it would probably hurt me indirectly because nuclear war is bad for the economy and has a high likelihood of killing my clients.“

“Stocks always fall when something is perceived to have happened to the ‘corpor’ part of the corporation,” CyberVid chimes in. “That sounds pretty direct to me.”

“Can you not contradict me in front of people?” LaPointe called over her shoulder to her. Turning back to Jonathan, she continued. “Regardless, your nation should invest more in business. It’ll help them gain even more money to spend on whatever else they desire.”

[Glaeschland]

"It's not really a matter of repeat invasions nor unfriendliness--we'll make powerful allies without much prodding. It's more that our leader is rather....cynical, and with good reason, seeing all the tyrannical and power-hungry nations these days. We spent lots on defense not from lessons learned, but to save ourselves from having to learn them in the first place. Prevention is the best medicine."
"Your people may fancy lawsuits and the like, but the pen is oft weaker than the sword when the sword is a battery of nuclear weapons aimed at your own capital."

“Perhaps for you it is, but I’m literally a corporation,” says LaPointe. “A battery of nuclear weapons can’t hurt me directly, though I admit it would probably hurt me indirectly because nuclear war is bad for the economy and has a high likelihood of killing my clients.“

“Stocks always fall when something is perceived to have happened to the ‘corpor’ part of the corporation,” CyberVid chimes in. “That sounds pretty direct to me.”

“Can you not contradict me in front of people?” LaPointe called over her shoulder to her. Turning back to Jonathan, she continued. “Regardless, your nation should invest more in business. It’ll help them gain even more money to spend on whatever else they desire.”

"Ah, so you're not really a nation, per se. A conglomerate of sorts, then?"

[Living Corporations]

"Ah, so you're not really a nation, per se. A conglomerate of sorts, then?"

“The “nation” I’m a part of is comprised of a total of four corporations, yes. Me, CyberVid over there, HealthMart, and Roth. We had to have a nation in order to join, so we made a nation. We take turns being the president, and our territory is a 1 square centimeter patch of land in Antarctica. Before I came to the WA, though, I was based in Vespuccia.”

[Glaeschland]

"Ah, so you're not really a nation, per se. A conglomerate of sorts, then?"

“The “nation” I’m a part of is comprised of a total of four corporations, yes. Me, CyberVid over there, HealthMart, and Roth. We had to have a nation in order to join, so we made a nation. We take turns being the president, and our territory is a 1 square centimeter patch of land in Antarctica. Before I came to the WA, though, I was based in Vespuccia.”

Jonathan snorts just slightly at the shortage of territory, but soon is submerged in curiosity. "Wouldn't you need a much bigger, more available space if you were to run a massive conglomerate, though??"

[Living Corporations]

Jonathan snorts just slightly at the shortage of territory, but soon is submerged in curiosity. "Wouldn't you need a much bigger, more available space if you were to run a massive conglomerate, though??"

“Yes, but that space comes with attention, and we hardly need any land at all if we are to count as a nation in the World Assembly. It’s not like we can go home, anyway,” explains LaPointe. “For all four of us, the only thing keeping us alive is the fact that the portal between our world and the World Assembly interferes with the connection between this part of us-“ At this, she thumps her palm against her chest. “-and the part with employees and stockholders and everything else.”

[Glaeschland]

Jonathan snorts just slightly at the shortage of territory, but soon is submerged in curiosity. "Wouldn't you need a much bigger, more available space if you were to run a massive conglomerate, though??"

“Yes, but that space comes with attention, and we hardly need any land at all if we are to count as a nation in the World Assembly. It’s not like we can go home, anyway,” explains LaPointe. “For all four of us, the only thing keeping us alive is the fact that the portal between our world and the World Assembly interferes with the connection between this part of us-“ At this, she thumps her palm against her chest. “-and the part with employees and stockholders and everything else.”

"So...to get out of being attacked and be able to run a massive conglomerate at the same time....you simply operate out of an alternate dimension?"

[Elke and Elba]

Alethea then gets herself a seat at the bar, and orders a glass of milk to be placed next to her. She missed her ferret friend, and hoped to see him again.

After the shock from having Herby have to leave the bar and WA for what would be forever and Furettium would end up getting another strong emotional swing coming through the door. Sitting down not far from the bar where he was he almost quickly had to excuse himself from his Whovian Tardisia company. As this was a rather special occasion, "Alethea!?"

Alethea, having heard the familiar ferret voice in the background, turned her head only to see her Furrettium. Shocked, and surprised - Alethea started sputtering in relative incoherence -

"Oh Furrettium! How I was wishing you were here, and you are indeed! How are you? How has life been? I've gotten a glass of milk here for you, do you mind joining me at the bar?"

[Ferret Civilization]

"Oh Furrettium! How I was wishing you were here, and you are indeed! How are you? How has life been? I've gotten a glass of milk here for you, do you mind joining me at the bar?"

"I had to return the favor did I not, life has been going all over the place for me. Unofficially retired yet still representing my nation while it goes back and forth on what it wants to do, probably typical stuff. I have just been enjoying being lazy around this place." Having probably already had three glasses of milk surprisingly the Ferret could not turn down another when that choice came around, "Sure! How have you been yourself, surely more exciting of a time over this, has it been a year for you out there?"

[Living Corporations]

"So...to get out of being attacked and be able to run a massive conglomerate at the same time....you simply operate out of an alternate dimension?"

“Attacked? Pfft! No, it’s that the “conglomerate” part is already dead, or will be soon. CyberVid’s been in a slow death spiral ever since the dotcom bubble burst, and I’m not sure how she even survived this long at all, and Roth just had to close the last of his stores. But if we’re on this side of the portal, that death doesn’t reflect on our bodies.”

[Glaeschland]

"So...to get out of being attacked and be able to run a massive conglomerate at the same time....you simply operate out of an alternate dimension?"

“Attacked? Pfft! No, it’s that the “conglomerate” part is already dead, or will be soon. CyberVid’s been in a slow death spiral ever since the dotcom bubble burst, and I’m not sure how she even survived this long at all, and Roth just had to close the last of his stores. But if we’re on this side of the portal, that death doesn’t reflect on our bodies.”

Jonathan furrows his brow and mulls over the information given thus far. He's quite a smart man, but this seems to have him a bit confused.
"So....you're synthetic beings...from another dimension....who can't die in *this* dimension...and are also running a failing conglomerate from said alternate dimension. Am I piecing this together any?"

[Living Corporations]

Jonathan furrows his brow and mulls over the information given thus far. He's quite a smart man, but this seems to have him a bit confused.
"So....you're synthetic beings...from another dimension....who can't die in *this* dimension...and are also running a failing conglomerate from said alternate dimension. Am I piecing this together any?"

LaPointe shrugs. "You're close. We're more like summoned anthropomorphic personifications than synthetic beings. And my conglomerate is long gone; I'm really just trying not to let this part of me die." She continued, "Now, we _could_ theoretically die here, but I don't know how true that is. If another corporation comes through the portal and gets a little salty, we won't have our economic value to fall back on. Wonder Co. beat the shit out of CyberVid over there for copyright infringement after the lawsuits didn't teach her to cut it out. If he does the same here, she might not be able to recover."

"I almost didn't recover the first time," said CyberVid. "Do you have any idea much stockholder trust tanks when someone as powerful as Wonder Co. takes offense at your existence?"

[Glaeschland]

Jonathan furrows his brow and mulls over the information given thus far. He's quite a smart man, but this seems to have him a bit confused.
"So....you're synthetic beings...from another dimension....who can't die in *this* dimension...and are also running a failing conglomerate from said alternate dimension. Am I piecing this together any?"

LaPointe shrugs. "You're close. We're more like summoned anthropomorphic personifications than synthetic beings. And my conglomerate is long gone; I'm really just trying not to let this part of me die." She continued, "Now, we _could_ theoretically die here, but I don't know how true that is. If another corporation comes through the portal and gets a little salty, we won't have our economic value to fall back on. Wonder Co. beat the shit out of CyberVid over there for copyright infringement after the lawsuits didn't teach her to cut it out. If he does the same here, she might not be able to recover."

"I almost didn't recover the first time," said CyberVid. "Do you have any idea much stockholder trust tanks when someone as powerful as Wonder Co. takes offense at your existence?"

"Oof. Doesn't sound pleasant. Well, our nation could use any financial colossus we could get. Black projects don't exactly leave you in the black, if you catch my drift."

[Living Corporations]

"Oof. Doesn't sound pleasant. Well, our nation could use any financial colossus we could get. Black projects don't exactly leave you in the black, if you catch my drift."

LaPointe smiles. "Well, I'd be willing to help with-"

"All four of us are failed corporations. Bad idea," interrupts CyberVid. "Better to summon your own corporation. Or better yet, summon the personification of your nation."

"There are reasons no one does that! Look-" LaPointe turns back to Jonathan. "Don't listen to anything that dotgone says- she launched a hopelessly optimistic business plan at a horrible time for it. And then she had the brilliant idea to anger Wonder Co. three times."

"I'm sorry, how many of your lawyers were arrested or disbarred after that evidence fabrication scandal? You can't even handle your own employees, how do you think you can handle someone else's?"

[Glaeschland]

"Oof. Doesn't sound pleasant. Well, our nation could use any financial colossus we could get. Black projects don't exactly leave you in the black, if you catch my drift."

LaPointe smiles. "Well, I'd be willing to help with-"

"All four of us are failed corporations. Bad idea," interrupts CyberVid. "Better to summon your own corporation. Or better yet, summon the personification of your nation."

"There are reasons no one does that! Look-" LaPointe turns back to Jonathan. "Don't listen to anything that dotgone says- she launched a hopelessly optimistic business plan at a horrible time for it. And then she had the brilliant idea to anger Wonder Co. three times."

"I'm sorry, how many of your lawyers were arrested or disbarred after that evidence fabrication scandal? You can't even handle your own employees, how do you think you can handle someone else's?"

Jonathan watches the corporate leaders bicker, amused, while pulling out his hybrid pistol and tweaking around with it, making sure everything is in working order.

[Bears Armed Mission]

Artorrios had wandered quietly into the Bar a little while ago, and ordered a meal as well as a drink. Overhearing this nearby conversation, and seeing Jonathan playing with a gun, he now looks up from his food (trilobite on the half-shell, with various side-dishes, in case you wondered), and addresses those people.

"Ahem.
"In case you weren't already informed, this building is fitted with Acme Weapons Neutralizers. It's impossible to inflict serious harm on anybody within the premises, and if anybody tries to do that then they're likely to find the weapon used -- as well as its effects -- turned at least temporarily into something harmless..."

(OOC: These devices are a canonical & longstanding part of GA RP, to make peaceful interaction easier and prevent incidents like the time that a noob claimed his ambassador had brought in a suitcase nuke to suicide-bomb the entire building.)

[Whovian Tardisia]

"Ahem.
"In case you weren't already informed, this building is fitted with Acme Weapons Neutralizers. It's impossible to inflict serious harm on anybody within the premises, and if anybody tries to do that then they're likely to find the weapon used -- as well as its effects -- turned at least temporarily into something harmless..."

The gruff voice caused both Jack and Rupert to turn and face it, each for their own reasons. On any other day, Jack would have been quite surprised to see a bear in bar, but by now nothing in this place could surprise him.
"So guns don't work here." He stated, more for his own benefit than anyone else's as he palmed the butt of his own sidearm. "Good to know..."
"Artorrios!" Pink exclaimed, approaching the Ursine Ambassador. "It's been too long. Busy with your new duties, I take it?" He inquired.

---

Captain Wilson simply took another sip of coffee. She wished it were something stronger, but she was still on duty, technically speaking. It would be irresponsible to meet with the Imperium if she was...
Her train of thought was cut short as the TARDIS door swung open. There Sarah stood, holding a pewter mug, similar to the many mugs behind the bar. The faint bonging of a Cloister bell could be heard, from farther within the box than it should have been. Captain Wilson noticed that the lighting behind Sarah was not what she expected from a console room. Sarah shut the door behind her as she came to sit with the Captain, placing the mug in front of her. Seeing it up close, the designs on it were clear; there were many smaller, intricate details, but emblazoned very clearly on either side was a circle, containing only the number 53.

[Wallenburg]

(trilobite on the half-shell, with various side-dishes, in case you wondered)

Ogenbond grimaces at the Ursine ambassador's meal. He thinks to comment on it, but thinks better of it. "You know, that's hardly the weirdest thing I've seen in this bar. At least it looks somewhat similar to crustacean."